Black Mask
by The.Dragon.Singer
Summary: There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go. OC, slight AU. Pairings TBD.
1. Ichi-fumi

Kasumi wiped her cheek with the back of her hand, and succeeded in getting a large amount of grease across her pale skin. Strands of blue hair stuck to her sweaty skin and she swore under her breath as she smashed her knuckles against something sharp within the engine she was currently looking at.

"What's wrong with it?" The fidgety male behind her asked, brushing his immaculate suit jacket free of any dust.

"The battery died. You just need a jump start." She answered, pushing a longer strand behind her hair.

"Ah, thank you, Kanda-san!" The man bowed as she hooked him up to a large battery and his car started up again.

"Considering your position, shouldn't you be able to afford a better car than this." She gestured to the rusty old car. "This is the third time this week that you've been in."

"I wish I could get rid of the car, but Bertha and I have had many good memories." He patted the hood of his car as he got in. "I was born on the backseat you know."

"I didn't need to know, and would have been happy not knowing for my entire life." Kasumi snorted, crossing her arms as she stepped back. "Good luck with your meeting, Takahashi-san."

"Thank you again, I'll be sure to send a check at the end of the week."

"I'll just add it to your tab." Kasumi snorted in annoyance. Takahashi chuckled, and rumbled out.

"Oi! Kanda, come 'ere!"

"Keep your pants on, Arai!" She snarled back, striding to the front desk which her boss was seated at. "Whadda want?"

"Your shift is done." He grinned at her and pointed to the clock. Kasumi regarded it with cold indigo eyes, before striding to the coat she'd left on a relatively clean part of the garage.

"I'll be in tomorrow."

"Tomorrow's Wednesday." Arai rolled his eyes.

"Then I'll see you next week, asshole."

"You love me, really, you do!?" Arai clutched his heart like he'd been stabbed and Kasumi gazed at him for a few seconds.

"I don't. I won't even begin to like you until I get a raise. It's not easy keeping nine people who eat more than their weight in food, fed. I have four jobs."

"Why don't they work?" A woman Kasumi had not noticed asked, perched on the edge of the front desk, chewing a piece of gum with her legs around Arai's waist.

"They're lazy bastards. The moment they start working is the day I'll wear a skirt."

"I'd like to see that~! Lovely Kanda-chan in a pretty flouncy skirt and high heels!"

"And not only are you an asshole, you're a pervert too. I'm leaving."

"Nice seeing you." The woman tightened her legs around Kasumi's boss as the blue haired woman waved over her shoulder, shrugging into her jacket.

It didn't take long for Kasumi to arrive at her next job, as it was about two blocks away.

Red Oni Tattoo Parlour was quite popular and it was where she made the most amount of money, as the people who she tattooed tended to give fairly high tips.

"Hey, welcome to Red Oni- Oh, it's just you, Kanda-chan." The woman at the desk looked lazily at her worker. "Bathroom's open. You can get changed into uniform."

Kasumi nodded, throwing her coat into the locker set out for her, and grabbed the black pile that made her uniform and vanished into the bathroom.

When she emerged, her legs were wrapped in tight black skinny jeans with several chains, black hightops, a red tanktop with a large skull on it, and her blue hair was pulled back in a fresh braid and any stray hair was held back with a baseball cap placed on backwards.

"You're in station three, onna."

"Roger that, Nodoka-san." Kasumi saluted with two fingers and moved over to the spot in view of everyone.

After an hour or two of no work, Kasumi was approached by a timid looking girl and her eldest boss, Nodoka.

"This is your new client. She's here for help, at the moment." Nodoka waved as she took off again.

"Um..."

"Have a seat." Kasumi nodded to the black leather seat in front of her and grinned as the ginger moved restlessly. "I'm Kanda Kasumi, I'll be your tattooist."

"I'm...Inoue Orihime."

"Any idea what you want, Inoue?" The blue haired woman propped her feet up as Orihime shook her head. "Tell me about yourself."

"I'm in high school, my friend Tatsuki says I'm a first level black belt in karate! I want to be a robot when I grow up, and my...my family, my parents and brother, are dead."

"Hold up one second." Kasumi picked up a sketch pad and her hand flashed across it, before holding it up.

Inoue studied the drawing. It was simple; three flying bird silhouettes with the words '_Don't worry, just smile_' beneath it.

"I love it! When can I come back to have it done?!" The ginger squealed, making Kasumi eye twitch.

"Friday, five o' clock." Kasumi checked the clock. "It shouldn't take too long."

"When do I pay?" The teen reached for her purse.

"I'll need to see some ID, and you can pay day of."

Inoue handed over her student card, and Kasumi scanned it before handing it back.

"I'll see your Friday at five."

"Kanda-chan!" Nodoka yelled, gesturing to another woman, this one wearing a nice skirt and a button up top. "Your next client is here."

"Thanks! Goodbye, Inoue."

The ginger nodded, skipping out of the parlour with a happy smile.

"Hello, Naomi." Kanda greeted, silently grumbling to herself as the woman tossed her hair. "You want a private room?"

"No. My body is my own, and I am proud of it. Let the world see the beauty that is Naomi Kasai!"

"If you're sure. Remove your skirt and shirt please." Kasumi snickered as she prepped her work area.

* * *

"Hey, Keji."

"Hi, Kanda-san." The young host sighed as she appeared, distracted. "How are you?"

"I'm going to be have been up, awake, and working longer than you have, mister. Get your ass moving, and get back to work."

"Not working yet, and already working." A soft voice murmured from behind the young woman.

"Evening, Mai."

"Hello. You're taking the bar today." The dark haired, quiet woman smiled.

"Great. Thanks. I could toss somethings around."

"Be careful."

"Have I dropped anything yet?"

"No."

* * *

"Hi..." Kasumi dragged her feet into the warehouse, wallet stuffed to the brim with what money she'd earned.

"KASUMI! SAVE ME! THE MONSTER, IT'S AFTER ME!"

"I'M NOT A MONSTER, BALDY!"

"AND I'M NOT BALD!"

"Hello, Kasumi. How was your day? Oh, it was fine. Thank you for asking, Shinji. Let me take your bags for you, Kasumi. Why thank you, Rose. That's really nice. You want a drink, Kanda? Why, yes. I would love one, Kensei." The blue-haired woman sighed, stimulating conversation to herself.

"I'm glad to see you back, Kanda-chan." The large-boned pink-haired man in the room shuffled over and smiled.

"Least someone appreciates me, Hachi."

"Do you need help with anything?"

"Naw."

"Kasumi's back!?" Several of the other members in the warehouse jumped forward, excited looks on their faces. "Kasumi! It's payday!"

"Anyway you can hide me, Hachi?"

"Not exactly."

"Well, I'm grumpy. So they get to deal with that." Kasumi cracked her neck, and glared, making the room go silent. "Vizard meeting. NOW."


	2. Ni-fumi

Shinji cringed into the couch, and Hiyori perched herself on the arm beside him within hitting distance. Mashiro plopped onto the ground cross-legged, Kensei lounging behind her, and Rose and Love in the same position as Shinji and Hiyori. Lisa lent against the back of the couch, Hachi took a seat beside the couch while Kasumi seated herself stiffly in the ratty chair across from them.

As she surveyed the group with steely indigo eyes, the Vizard all drew back into the couch.

Kasumi's anger was nearly visible to their eyes, and if the angry reitsu crackling from her finger tips was anything to go by, the entire group was about to receive some _very_ bad news.

"Does _anyone_ want to guess _why_ we're having this meeting?" Kasumi's voice was hard, and her indigo eyes matched the tone.

"Mashiro is going to guess-" Kensei clapped a hand over the childish Vizard woman's mouth.

"Let me start this meeting," Kasumi's mouth lifted into a shit's-about-to-go-down smirk. "By informing you of the changes about to be made."

Love and Rose exchanged worried looks, and Lisa tapped her fingers against the back of the couch.

"Firstly, none of you will be spending any money without my consent. Secondly, the money I make will be kept within a secret location where none of you will be able to access it. If you want something, you'll either have to get your own money, or you'll have to pay me back within a certain amount of time."

"I'm sick of having all of you walk all over me like I'm a door mat. I get up at three in the morning everyday to get to my four jobs, which keep all of you fed. I don't get home until late, have to cook all of you dinner, and then I go to bed to get four hours sleep."

"I will be continuing my jobs, but if you want something and I don't give it you the money for it, I expect you to earn it. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes, ma'am." The Vizard nodded.

"Good. Now someone make dinner, because I'm hungry and want to go to bed."

* * *

When Friday rolled around, Kasumi got to have a very nice sleep in before she rose to go to the Red Oni Tattoo Parlour. Most of the Vizard were out, Hachi included, but Rose and Kensei were both in the warehouse still. Kensei napping on the couch, and Rose training with his zanpakuto in the downstairs area.

Kasumi didn't bother dressing properly before she ate breakfast, and shuffled around the large kitchen on the second floor in an oversized shirt and a pair of bright red lacy underwear.

The smell of bacon and eggs must have woken Kensei because he suddenly appeared at the table, eyeing the frying pan in her hand with half-asleep hunger.

"Hey." Kasumi greeted, smiling over her shoulder as she plated the package of bacon and the half-dozen eggs. "Breakfast?"

Kensei managed a sleepy nod, and yawned. Kasumi grinned.

Sleepy Kensei was one of the most adorable things in the world, in her opinion. He was usually quite defensive, with a quick temper to boot. He slept with his zanpakuto under his pillow, and was usually one of the most alert of the nine Vizard. Catching him like this was quite rare.

The silver haired man blinked slowly at the bacon before him, and then inhaled his share in seconds. The sleepy look in his eyes was gone the moment bacon filled his mouth, and he crossed his arms over his bare chest, watching the female Vizard eat.

She finished a few seconds behind him, and stood, stretching her arms over her head. "You get dishes. I'll see you later."

"Sure." He grunted, lifting the dishes from the table as Kasumi wandered back to her area of the warehouse to change into her red and black uniform. The logo of the store was embroidered on the breast, and 'Kanda' was printed on the back of the low-cut vest.

It didn't take long to get to Red Oni Tattoo Parlour, and Kasumi easily thrust herself into work. By the time five o' clock rolled around, Kasumi had tattooed several people and was just finishing up her dinner break.

She had her feet propped up when someone stopped behind her.

"Kanda-san?"

The blue haired woman turned, smiling, to greet Inoue Orihime. The teen was nervously holding her arm, and a tough looking raven stood behind Inoue.

"Hello again, Inoue-san. Who's your friend?" Kasumi stood, grinning.

"Ah!" Orihime smiled, and tugged her friend's arm. "This is Arisawa Tatsuki! She's my best friend!"

"Nice to meet you, Arisawa-san. Are you ready, Inoue-san?" Kasumi motioned to the chair behind her, already set up with everything she needed. Inoue nodded, and sat, unbuttoning her shirt and handing it to Tatsuki.

* * *

"What do you think?" Kasumi asked, handing Orihime a mirror after wiping away the last bit of ink. The three birds were tattooed along her collarbone and the words she'd chosen were tattooed just under them.

"Ah~! I love it! Thank you, Kanda-san! Tatsuki-chan! Look!"

"Looks great, Orihime!" Tatsuki grinned.

_When I'm feeling lonely, sad as I can be, all by myself in an uncharted island in an endless sea. What makes me happy, fills me up with glee those bones in my jaw, that don't have a flaw my Shiny Teeth and me!_

_My shiny teeth that twinkle just like the stars in space-_

"I'm sorry! I have to take this!" Kasumi lunged for the singing phone in the bag under her desk.

* * *

Shinji was seated upside down, ankles crossed, on the couch. He held a slim pink phone to his ear, with a grin.

It was ringing at him, until there was a sharp click.

"_What's wrong?_" There was an edge of panic in Kasumi's voice.

"What? No hello?" Shinji grinned, examining the roof.

"_Hirako._"

"Geez." The blond sighed, spinning to sit properly. "Urahara dropped by."

"_What did he want?_" The blond could practically see the serious look on the bluenette's face.

"He's found a..."

"_A what?"_

"New Vizard."

"_Impossible! There aren't-_"

"Let me explain." Hirako interrupted. "The kid's name is Ichigo Kurosaki, recently became a substitute Shinigami. Turns out he's got an inner Hollow."

"_How did he get his powers?_"

"Transferred. And then he went through training with Urahara. He went to the Soul Society to save Rukia Kuchiki, the one who did it after she was arrested."

"_I know that story. Aizen's betrayal. I assume you're going to try and get him to go through training?"_

"Yeah."

"_Right. Thanks. I'm getting back to work. I'll be back around...eight-twenty._"

"See ya. Oh, and I need you to buy me a school uniform for Karakura High. Thanks."

"_Wha-_"

Shinji snapped his phone shut with a satisfied smirk, and then stretched.

* * *

The main office in Karakura High was empty, save for the secretary seated at her desk. As school wasn't in session, she had rather loud music on at the moment.

The door squeaked open, and a young woman stepped in. "Yo."

"Hello. Can I help you?" The brunette asked, turning down her music swiftly.

"Yeah. I wanna enroll my younger step-brother. We've just moved here from Tokyo, so he'll be transferring." The woman flicked her hair over her shoulder.

"Right. Your name, and his name?"

"I'm Kasumi Kanda. My brother is Shinji Hirako. Can I buy uniforms here too?"

"Hai~!"

* * *

Kensei felt the waves of Kasumi's anger before he saw her, and as he was closest to the warehouse door, he was the first to see her.

The Vizard woman was livid. Her hair snapping around her face with the force of her crackling reitsu. In one hand she held a rolled up bunch of papers, in the other, a hanger with a school uniform. Her bag was slung over her free shoulder, and her indigo eyes were demonic.

The silver haired man smirked, jabbing is thumb over his shoulder. "Hirako is that way."

"Thanks."

"Kasumi-chan~! Welcome home!" Mashiro waved, grinning like a fool.

"Thank you."

"Kasumi-chan~! How are you?" Shinji smiled as he turned, before all the colour in his face drained. One could only imagine Kasumi's face at that time.

Before long, Kensei heard the tell-tale sign of bodies hitting the floor.

"_OW! THAT'S MY PELVIS, WOMAN! GAAAAH! MY BACK!_"

"Hehe~! Kasumi-chan is hurting Shinji!" Mashiro laughed.

* * *

**(Time Skip)**

Kasumi sat on the couch, eyes locked on the door, senses concentrated on the fights going on in Karakura Town.

She didn't move as Kensei padded into the room, scratching his head.

"You're still up, Kanda?" He frowned when she didn't so much as twitch. The silver haired man sighed, grabbing a blanket from the pile in the corner and draping it over her shoulders. "Stupid. He'll be fine."

Kensei shook his head as he headed back to his room, previously planned activity forgotten. Kasumi glanced at him over her shoulder.

"I know. Thank you."

Kensei nodded once, before he vanished from sight and Kasumi returned to the fights. When the warehouse door slid open several minutes later, she shifted.

"Well?"

"Didn't you hear Hiyori's yelling?" Shinji scoffed, the zanpakuto sheath in his hand reflecting beams of moonlight.

"No. I was in the shower." The bluenette shrugged.

"Tch. He's a rude punk."

"No Ichigo Kurosaki for us then? Head to bed, Shinji. You still have school tomorrow."

"Yeah, yeah."


	3. San-fumi

_Ding-a-ling-ling-ling-ling-ling-ling-ling. Boo-ba-doo-ba-doop. Boo-ba-doo-ba-doop. Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, banana phone. Ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, ring, banana phone. I've got this feeling, so appealing, for us to get together and-_

"'ello?" Kasumi emerged from the pile of pillows and blankets set in the corner of her room, holding her sleek silver phone to her ear. "Ah, Sugiyama-shihan, ohayo."

She ran a hand through her messy hair as the person on the other end began talking rapidly.

"I'll cancel my other two jobs for today. Right. Feel better, Sugiyama-shihan." The young woman pressed the end button, and immediately began dialling as she pulled herself from her nest.

* * *

"Ahhhh," Ochi-sensei sighed, leaning on her podium. "Where's Gym-sensei?"

As if to answer the brunette's question, the classroom door slid open.

"I'm sorry, Ochi-san." The young woman at the door crossed her arms over her chest. "I'll be taking your class for their gym class today."

"Oh."

"My name is Kanda-sensei. I will be your guest teacher for the day. I will not tolerate any bad behaviour. Please line up to change." The bluenette growled out, indigo eyes snapping to Shinji who sat innocently beside an orange haired boy she assumed was Ichigo Kurosaki.

She grinned at Tatsuki and Orihime as they stared at her flabbergasted, before hurrying to line up.

It didn't take long for the group of students to change, and the girls grouped themselves away from the boys, shifting nervously.

"I'll take roll now." Kasumi procured a clipboard and pencil, and started going to down the list. Kasumi nodded as she reached the bottom of the list.

"I am a black belted sensei at the Flying Dragon Dojo. I'm here today because Sugiyama-shihon is sick, otherwise you'd have him here. I can tell just by looking at most of you that you don't know what the heck you're doing. Those of you who are at a more advanced level will be sparring a safe distance away from the beginners. Am I understood?"

The class nodded.

"Good. Ichigo, Orihime, Tatsuki,Shinji, Sado; over there. I'll be with you in a minute. Set up some mats or something. The rest of you, I want you to run ten laps around the track. Well, _get going._"

Kasumi turned to the five students with a grin.

"Kanda-sensei, don't you work at Red Oni?" Orihime asked, holding her arms behind her back.

"Yup. I work four jobs. I want to assess your skills before anything else." She tightened her ponytail. "Fight me."

The group stared at her before Shinji lunged at her from the right.

Kasumi's leg lifted, and Shinji went flying into the wall, yelping. Tatsuki went next, and Kasumi had her arm twisted behind her back in three seconds flat, before the raven went flying at Chad, who had attacked next.

Orihime and Ichigo blinked at each other, before attacking at the same time. Orihime lasted a bit longer than Tatsuki, but ended up in the pile with her.

"I'm surprised, Ichigo." Kasumi ducked under one of his punches. "I didn't expect you to be this good. Did you fight a lot recently?"

Ichigo growled as he threw another punch at the woman and managed to knock her down. Unfortunately for him, however Kasumi landed on her hands, and planted a spinning kick into his torso, knocking the ginger off balance.

"Impressive. Lots of stamina." Kasumi nodded as she flipped to her feet. "Alright. I'll pair you up now."

Several of the other part of the class had returned now.

"Ichigo and Shinji, Chad and Orihime. Tatsuki, you'll be helping me. I heard you're in the karate club her at Karakura High." She nodded to the beginner level students.

"Hai, Sensei."

The two girls made their way over as the rest of the class showed up. Kasumi crossed her arms beneath her bust, and shifted. Several of the males' eyes snapped to the cleavage that had just apppeared.

"We'll start of easy." Kasumi let her eyes roam the ranks of students before her, and her finger snapped out. "Oi! You with the face and the hair and the face. You're Asano Keigo, am I right?"

"Yes, ma'am." Keigo nodded, eyes snapping to her face before they returned to her breasts.

"Keigo, come at me."

Keigo bolted forward, yelling and he jumped, obviously aiming for her womanly parts.

"Yo, Hirako! Kurosaki." She grinned as Keigo came within kicking range. She snapped her leg up and sideways, catching Keigo in the ass. "Catch!"

"AHHHHHHH!"

"Is that legal?" Tatsuki sweatdropped.

"Probably not." Kasumi shrugged. "I teach in weird, but effective ways. What did Keigo do wrong? You there, Keigo's friend-"

"Mizuiro." Tatsuki supplied.

"Yeah, Mizuiro. You try against Tatsuki." Both students stared at their teacher surprised. She merely grinned, and motion for them to get going as Keigo slunk back over. The raven haired male nervously made his way forward and went for a simple punch, which Tatsuki caught.

She was about to keeping going when Kasumi placed a hand on her shoulder.

"That is one way to block a punch. Thank you, Mizuiro." She ushered him back to the safety of the hoard. "Tatsuki, try to punch me."

The bluenette blocked the punch by grabbing it, and punching up towards Tatsuki's ribs. She stopped as her fist touched her assistant's shirt.

"You've only seen it once, but since you should have been paying attention," She grinned at the girls who were obviously not paying attention. "You all get to try. Pair up, girl against boy."

* * *

"Haah, I'm so tired." Shinji complained, striding down one of the alleyways in Karakura. "I'm so not used to this. _Vocalization Test..._Chih, so stupid. Also, why do I have to go to school to recruit Ichigo? This really sucks!"

The blond went flying into a light post.

"Ouuuuuuuch! Who the hell...?" Shinji's face morphed into one of horror. "Hi...Hiyori..."

The girl lifted her foot and kicked off one of her sandals, before smacking Shinji across the face.

"YOU SURE ARE TAKING YOUR TIME WITH THIS, SLOW-POKE!" Hiyori screeched.

"SORRY!"

"WHERE IS KUROSAKI ICHIGO!?"

"Not yet..."

"NOT YET! _WHAT_ HAVE YOU BEEN DOING!? DIDN'T I TELL YOU TO SAY WHATEVER YOU NEED TO SAY TO GET HIM INTO JOINING!?"

"I can talk all I want, but it doesn't help if he doesn't want to listen~!"

"THEN JUST BRING HIM IN BY FORCE!"

"What!? That's totally different then what you told me!"

"Found you." The two arguing Vizard fell silent and turned to look at the speaker and her companion.

"...Orihime-chan." Shinji blinked at her.

Hiyori beckoned the blond male over. "Shinji," He shuffled over, and she grabbed his head. "YOU WERE FOLLOWED! IDIOT!"

"Because I thought if I'd asked Kurosaki-kun, he would have just said _'Nothing'_, I though I should ask you directly, Hirako-kun." Orihime frowned. "Who are you? What do you want with Kurosaki-kun?"

"Hah!" Hiyori smirked. "Did you actually think we would tell you? Sarugaki, Hiyori!"

"Huh?" Orihime looked confused.

"What do you mean 'huh'? That's my name." Hiyori jabbed a thumb at her flat chest. "My name. So, now it's your turn."

"...Inoue Orihime."

"Sado Yasutora."

"Ha! A princess and a tiger. You have some classy names. We are only a monkey and a hira. I'm almost envious of you."

"What the heck is a hira?" Shinji snorted, sticking his finger in his nose. "So, I'm the only one who isn't even a living thing, is that it? Don't include me when it doesn't make sense, idiot."

* * *

Urahara looked up when the door to his dining room slid open and he immediately looked surprised.

"Kanda-chan, I haven't seen you for a while! What brings you to my humble shop~?" The blond sang as Kasumi flopped onto the cushion in front of him.

"I thought it was probably a good thing if I got got up in what's going on. I'm a bit...out of the loop, as it is."

"Of course. Tea?" Kisuke offered. Kasumi immediately snorted.

"Sake, Blondie. I drink too much tea."

This of course, led to Kisuke and Kasumi laughing their asses off half an hour later when a sudden enormous burst of reitsu snapped them to their senses.

"Blondie."

"I know. They're here then, aren't they?"

"Yes."

"Let's go." Yoruichi appeared in the room, not blinking once at Kasumi's presence.

* * *

"Hello~!" Kisuke sang, holding out his zanpakuto. "Sorry about being late, Kurosaki-kun~!"

The red barrier Kisuke had made over the two Shinigami and the Vizard burst.

"What now?" The enormous hulking man over them grumbled. "One after another...Are they ever gonna learn their lesson? Well, if you're gonna line up like that, THAT MUST MEAN YOU WANNA DIE FIRST, HUH!? SOUNDS GOOD TO ME!"

Kisuke merely smiled as the man's fist went into motion. Yoruichi moved, and the man was flipped to the ground. Kasumi stood to Urahara's left with her arms crossed, gazing at Ichigo through stern eyes.

"What. The. Hell?" The Arrancar growled.

Ichigo stared at the three of his saviours.

"YOU STUPID PIECE OF SHIT!"

Yoruichi made her way past Urahara. "I'll tend to Inoue. I need the medicine."

"Yes, ma'am."

"WAIT, BITCH!"

Kasumi took two steps forward and knelt in Ichigo's vision. "_He_ came back didn't he?"

"Kanda-san!? How do you...How do you know!?" The ginger gaped at the bluenette, who merely gave him a sad smile, before glancing over her shoulder as a red light began emitting from the large man's mouth.

'_Cero!' _Kasumi thought, glancing over her shoulder but making no attempt to move, as Urahara took care of the problem.

"What!? No way! You've gotta be friggin' kidding me!" The large man exclaimed, slightly charred. "How could you dodge it!?"

"You should be able to tell just by looking." Urahara shrugged. "Since deflecting it is dangerous to bystanders, I merely dissipated it by meeting it with a blast of equal power."

"There's now way!"

"Ahh, you don't seem to believe me! I guess I'll just demonstrate again then. Cry," Urahara glared from beneath his striped hat. "Benihime."

An arc of red reitsu followed Urahara's sword's path, rushing at the shocked Arrancar. However, it never reached him, as the second Arrancar, who until now had been standing to the side, suddenly appeared before the larger Arrancar and shattered the attack with one swipe of his hand.

"Ulquiorra?"

Ulquiorra, the smaller Arrancar, rammed his elbow into the large Arrancar's stomach with a blank expression.

"What...the hell are you doing?" The first Arrancar gasped, holding his remaining hand to the bleeding wound in his abdomen.

"Idiot. You're out of your mind, Yammy." Ulquiorra intoned. "These two are Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin. They're far beyond your level. At this rate, we'll lose, unless...we escape."

He drew a line in the air behind him, and a portal to Heuco Mundo opened. Urahara jerked his head slightly toward the Arrancar and Kasumi nodded, swiftly pulling a tanto from the small of her back.

Her steps took her right into Ulquiorra's face. He gazed at her stoically, before pushing her blade away with his arm. It took Kasumi off balance, and she dropped to the ground, kicking upwards with her foot. The Arrancar wasn't expecting it and stumbled slightly.

The green-eyed Arrancar backhanded the Vizard into the forest, sending her flying through several trees. He stepped towards his portal.

"So, you're going to run away?" Yoruichi stood, eyeing the male carefully.

"You're one to talk. You two, who have to protect your wounded partners and still fight against myself, the odds are terrible. It is no matter, though. We've accomplished our mission. I've already prepared my report for Aizen-sama. As funny as it may be, the fake shinigami we were targeting, it turned out he wasn't even worth killing. He was just more of the usual _trash_."

Ulquiorra cast a disdainful look at Ichigo as the portal closed.

"We should get them make to the Urahara Shop." Kasumi murmured, holding a hand to the bleeding wound at the back of her head. The back of her sleeveless black turtleneck was completely shredded and had several splinters stuck to the material. "Tessai is sure to be waiting."

Urahara and Yoruichi nodded.

* * *

"Welcome back, Kasumi-chan~! You're back rather...late..." Rose trailed off, blinking rapidly before he moved dinner from the stove, and bolting over to the bluenette. The blond's hands fluttered over her bandage wrapped body. The sleeveless black turtle neck Kasumi had been wearing before was replaced by a simple green tank top, showing the bandages that wrapped up her neck and her upper arms, to just above her belly button. "What happened!?"

"Nothing you need to worry about right now, Rose-kun." Kasumi waved him off and collapsed on the couch.

"But Kasumi-chan!"

"I got into a fight, and ended up going through a few trees. No big deal." She waved off his concern. "I smell something burning, by the way."

"Gah!" Rose shrieked, darting once more for the kitchen, where he'd left dinner to the side, but something in the oven.

"You sure you're okay?" Kensei asked, pausing in his beating of a punching bag.

"I'm a bit out of shape, Sei. I haven't done a lot of training..."

"Stupid." He snorted, returning to his punching.

"I know."


	4. Shi-fumi

September Eighth dawned with shining sun, and lazy yawns from the Vizard. Kasumi was easily the first up, emerging from her hidden room with a yawn. She was dressed as she usually was in the morning, in an over-large t-shirt and a pair of lacy underwear.

The other Vizard were used to this by now, and didn't bat an eye when they all entered to kitchen for breakfast.

"Ohayo~!" The blunette called cheerfully.

"Ohayo, Nee-chan!" Mashiro chirped with a fork in her mouth.

"You're unusually cheerful." Kensei grumbled, scarfing down his food.

"I have a feeling something good is going to happen today!" Kasumi grinned, spinning to grab more bacon as Shinji shuffled in. "I feel so much better now that I've started training again. Much more limber."

"Ohayo, Kasumi-chan~! You're looking lovely this morning." Shinji announced as he sat.

He was met with a hot spatula to the face. "You still look like you got a bad bowl cut, Shinji."

"So cruel, Kasumi-chan!"

"Are you hungry, Shinji?" Kasumi turned with a sweet smile. Shinji nodded. "And how do you get your breakfast?"

Shinji grumbled, but pushed out of his seat and knelt on the floor. "I, Shinji Hirako, am not worthy of Kasumi-sama's delightful cooking, and I am lucky to get what I get."

"Good Shinji." Kasumi placed a plate filled with food before him.

* * *

"Well, well. It seems like you've finally found our hiding spot." Shinji's loud call made Kensei and Kasumi share a look. Both stopped their sparring to stride to the edge of the concrete floor to see who Shinji was speaking to. "Ichigo."

"That look on your face..." Shinji adjusted his cap. "Seems like you've been searching for us all day, haven't ya? So, are you determined now on becoming one of us? For someone who sucks at reitsu manipulation as much as you...to have found us is quite a feat indeed. But, we had a feeling you'd be searching for us. That's why we started throwing reitsu around to make us easier to find."

"So, Ichigo, now that you've finally made it here, are you finally ready to join the crew?"

"_Hell no._"Ichigo snapped.

"AHH!?"

"Me, become one of your flunkies? Gimme a freakin' break! The only thing I wanna do with you guys," The ginger gave the group of gathered Vizard a smug smirk. "Is use you."

"...What's zat?" Shinji sneered, eyes narrowed.

"I won't join up with you, but...I'm sure that you guys can teach me how to quiet down the Hollow inside me."

"Well, listen to you talkin' so big like that." The blond scoffed, tucking his hands in his pockets. "And just who do you think is gonna teach ya?"

"I'll just rip it out of you."

"Howzat?"

"By force." Ichigo gazed up at the Vizard through messy ginger bangs.

"Don't make me laugh."

Ichigo scowled, pulling his right hand from his pocket. Kasumi raised a brow at the Substitute badge in his hand. She'd heard of them, but never seen one up close. The ginger pushed it to his chest, and the blunette watched as his Shinigami form leapt from his body.

Shinji's eyes widened briefly, before they return to their normal lazy state. The blond stepped on the hilt of his zanpakuto, which was resting by his foot. It flipped through the air, and Shinji sighed. "You're a crazy one alright."

The impact the two zanpakuto, Sakanade and Zangetsu, made shattered the remaining glass in the warehouse's windows, and the Vizard gathered on the main floor.

"Guo!"

"Not just yet, idiot!"

"Uraaaaahhh!"

"Guh!"

"That boy, Ichigo," Rose shook his head. "Must think quite highly of himself to cross blades with Shinji."

"Dummy. Look closer." Lisa snapped. "Shinji isn't taking this seriously at all."

"Although, upon closer investigation, it also seems as though Ichigo-kun is not fighting to his full capabilities either." Hachi clasped his hands over his belly.

"He's just scared. No matter how you look at it." Love let out a puff of visible air.

"Scared? Of what?" Mashiro looked up at the man with her large grey eyes.

"The hollow." Kensei sneered. "I can't believe that kid's dumb enough to start fighting without calling out the Hollow inside him. To think, the one that's been trying to get in with us is at this level..."

"You have to remember, Kensei," Kasumi crossed her arms and closed her indigo eyes. "Ichigo did not gain his Hollow the way we did. He did not get beaten into total transformation like we did. He did not spend time fighting the Hollow into submission like we did. He doesn't have a mutual relationship with his Hollow like we do. He does not rely on _instinct_ like we do."

"He came here looking for help, to try and beat his Hollow into submission. Although I can tell it won't be easy for him, I believe he can do it. _We _just have to guide him. I am fully prepared to take on the responsibility for training him if none of you do. Besides, it's not safe to have him roaming with training, ne?" The blunette finished her speech with a brilliant smile, before she turned on her heel and made her way to the kitchen.

Of course, not before smacking Kensei's behind. He jumped, and threw a viscous glare in the woman's direction.

"Of all the times for her perverted habits to pick back up again...God dammit."

* * *

Kasumi paused not even two minutes later when reitsu shook the building. She rolled her eyes, and continued to chop the vegetables before her. It was nearly dinner, and she did have ten mouths to feed now.

"This is just like Hiyori." The blunette shook her head, and tossed the stir-fry in the pan beside her before adding the vegetables on her cutting board before she moved to meat.

The reitsu pressure increased and a scream roared through the building.

"Took him long enough." Kasumi snorted, peering around the concrete wall of the kitchen. What she didn't expect, however, was for Ichigo to clamp his hands around Hiyori's neck.

Food forgotten, Kasumi watched remaining seven Vizard pin the Hollowfied boy to the ground. Hiyori backed against one of the pillars, and the blunette joined the shaken blond as Shinji broke the half-mask on Ichigo's face.

"That's sufficeint." Shinji returned Sakanade to her sheath, and stood. "No complaints right, Hiyori?"

Kasumi threw one of her death glares over her shoulder as she pulled Hiyori into the safe circle of her arms. Normally, the poor girl would push the embrace away, shouting about how she wasn't a kid, but this Hiyori had a terrified expression and tears in her eyes.

Kasumi sighed, pulling a cloth from her back pocket. She handed it to Hiyori.

"Come help me in the kitchen." The blunette demanded, as Shinji turned back to Ichigo.

"You probably understand now, Ichigo." Shinji sighed. "That your Hollow isn't some layabout that you can subjugate with your mind, your body, or just by thinking about it. You pass the test. We'll pound the Hollow Suppression Technique right into the core of your very soul."

* * *

"It's way past lunchtime, ain't it?" Shinji muttered. "Yo, Hiyori. Can't ya make somethin' or anythin'?"

"What the hell, baldy?" Hiyori snorted. "Why am _I _the person who has to go an' make it!? Even if I did make somethin' though, who says I'll let ya have it, baldy?"

"Love," Rose paused, fingers stopping the movements of tuning up his guitar. "When you were out earlier, did you happen to see the new single from _Prince of Darkness_?"

"Buhuuuu!" Love laughed. "Forget that, Rose, did you read this weeks _Jump _yet?"

"Lisa, you're the one one duty this week, right?" Kensei didn't bother looking up from wrapping his wrist and hand in bandages. He'd gotten hurt earlier that week sparring with Kasumi. "Make sure you keep a strict eye on that Shinigami guy, alright?"

"I'm doin' it, so shut up." Lisa snapped, flipping the page of her magazine.

"Like hell you are!" Kensei snapped right back. "The only thing you're looking at is a porn mag!"

"Shut up and go away. You're ruining it..."

"Maybe we should shout at him or something to help him along? Alright! One-two. One-two."

"STOP THAT SHIT!" Ichigo roared, kicking the eliptical machine he was using at Hiyori, who used Shinji as a human sheild.

"_HEY! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!_?" Hiyori screeched. "_DON'T GET PUSHY WITH ME OR I'LL HAVE TO BEAT YOUR ASS, BALDY!_"

"That's...my line..." Shinji whimpered as blood slid down his face.

"_NO, IT'S MINE!_!" The ginger yelled. "Even after you talked so highly about that '_Subduing a Hollow by crushing it' _crap! How the hell does spending over a day on some fraudulent piece of shit diet machine fit in those plans!? Are you a _retard!? _Or am I the retard for actually trying it!?"

"Yeah, you _are_ the retard! The only retard! And a baldy! We're taking sweet time out of our busy schedule to train you, so you should just shut up and be thankful!"

"Um, we're back..." Mashiro tilted her head as she and Hachi strode through the warehouse door, plastic bags held tight in their hands.

Kasumi yawned, stretching from her spot where she'd been dozing in the sun. "Ah, you're back already? What did you get?"

"I went and got a bento, but...you wanna eat it now?" Mashiro asked.

"Yeah, yeah, let's eat up!" Love nodded vigorously.

"What's going on with Berry-tan? Looks like a big mess." The green haired girl asked as she handed out the bentos.

"Nnn...I guess he doesn't seem to like the '_Super Hiyori Walker.'_" Love shrugged.

"What~? After all this time?"

"If I was in Hiyori-san's shoes, though, I probably would have explained the Walker's purpose beforehand..."

"She thinks saying one or two things will cut it." Kasumi hummed before lifting a pair of chopsticks to her mouth and plopping whatever was on the end into it. She watched as Hiyori threw her machine at Ichigo's face, before looking back at her bento, which was empty. "Huh, I was hungrier than I thought."

Mashiro looked surprised as the blue haired Vizard rose to her feet and stretched before heading right through the 'Danger Zone' to her hidden room.

"Where are you going, Kasu-chan?"

"I'm gonna have a nap." Kasumi waved as she vanished.

"Kasu-chan can sleep through anything, can't she!?" Mashiro smiled. Kensei rolled his eyes.

"Don't ever wake her up. It's fucking scary."

* * *

Lightning cracked, shattering against large four-pronged metal pillars standing up right in the dirt ground. Low-lying fog rolled over the ground, blanketing the pillars and the ground below in dark grey. The even darker grey clouds overhead flickered with lighting and rolling thunder.

A large lake, stained nearly black in the darkness and the flickering energy, lay still has glass. A man was seated on a large flat rock sitting several feet out in the black water.

He was tall, one could tell though he sat. His rough skin was tanned, and his eyes a sharp green-gold. His dark brown hair was drawn up into a top knot, and several loose strands fell around his face. The man was dressed entirely in black. His knee-length hakama were black, and the bandages that wrapped over the edge of them and down to his half-shin boots were black. His kosode was black, as were the bandages around his forearms and fingers. The kosode had no sleeves, exposing the black tribal tattoos on the man's arms. The sash around his waist and the large scarf around his neck were matching shades of bloody red.

Under the man's right eye were two black stripes, and one could vaguely see the beginnings of the black mask over his mouth, hidden beneath the scarf. He had one shoulder guard, made of polished black metal, and it smoothly descended into the chest plate, which covered his back and his left hip as well.

It was all made of black metal, and tied with red and gold straps.

The man was gazing silently at the bank of the shore and he was on his feet in but a moment, arms held loosely at his sides.

The fog parted and his eyes crinkled in a smile as the blunette appeared before him, dressed in black hakama and a midriff turtleneck with no sleeves. A red sash was tied around her waist, and a pair of light combat boots sat on her feet.

"Welcome back, Kasumi-sama." The man bowed, and then strode across the water. His footsteps made small ripples, but otherwise did not disturb the still water. "I have not seen you in quite a while."

"Hello, Sensho." Kasumi grinned, grabbing the quiet man in a bear hug. "Did you call me here?"

"I did." He nodded, not fazed by her affection in the slightest. "I decided it was high time my wielder got in some more training. You have been working yourself too hard. It puts strain on this world, and it has not stopped raining. The lightning seemed particularly aggressive lately. "

"Has it?"

"It has."

"I see. And how has _she_ been?"

Sensho directed his gaze to the lake and blinked at it. A large disk of dull grey metal rose from the water, and seated on the bottom of it, was a woman.

She had the same looks as Kasumi, only her hair, skin, and clothing was white, except the blue sash around her hakama. For all looks an appearances, the woman appeared to be asleep or in a meditative state.

Kasumi nodded, and the disk lowered back into the black water.

"You called me here for training, didn't you?"

"I did. Let us train."

"Paint the World in Blood," Kasumi held her hands out as though receiving a present. It wasn't her usual release stance, but in this world it did not matter. "Sensho no Kami!"

A sun flew over the edge of the flat horizon, and the entire world was bathed in red light.

"Let's get this party started, hm?" She lifted an eyebrow as a dark silver kusari-gama appeared in her hands. The weight on the end of the kusari-gama's chain swung back and forth. Light flickered over the carved lions head set in an eight pointed star.

A kusari-gama appeared in Sensho's hands, and he gave a deep nod before he moved forward, clashing against his wielder.


	5. Go-fumi

When Kasumi wandered down to the underground training area after her nap -and training with her zanpakuto- it'd been about an hour, and the rest of the Vizard had started Ichigo's training.

Hiyori was doing the actual training, but the rest of them were sitting around, and Kensei was timing how long the ginger could keep his mask on.

Shinji's scowl lifted as the blunette wandered in wearing only a pair of denim short-shorts and a lacy bra. She yawned, tucking her arms behind her head to pull her hair into a ponytail with an elastic that sat around her wrist.

"It's my first love! Kasumi-chan-!" The blond hurried over to her. Kasumi watched him come with half-lidded indigo eyes, before she lifted a foot and slammed it into his face and walked over his injured body.

"Shut up, Shinji." She grumbled, taking a seat beside Mashiro, who was kicking her feet in the air.

"Hiya, Kasu-chan!" The greenette chirped.

"Hey."

"Four seconds." Kensei announced, clicking a button on the stopwatch he held.

"Too fast!" Shinji drawled, rolling onto his side and sitting up.

"Hey, hey," Mashiro looked at the silver-haired male she was seated behind. "Why is it Berry-tan is doing this again?"

"We're doing this training to keep the Hollow form for a longer period of time." Kensei turned, eyes focusing on his former-lieutenant. "It helped you too, right?"

"I didn't do it?"

"WHAT? LIAR!"

"It's true." Shinji turned. "It's cause Mashiro was able to keep her Hollow form for over fifteen hours from the beginning. Kasumi didn't do it either, and she can keep her Hollow form for fourteen and a half hours. They're the only ones that didn't train to maintain Hollow form."

"I forgot about that crap..." Kensei muttered.

"So, there!" Mashiro pulled down her eyelids and stuck out her tongue. "Kensei's an ass! Hater!"

"You!" Kensei snarled, and Hacchi had to put a restraining hand on the man. Unfortunately, Hacchi's hand slipped and Kensei fell straight into the dozing Kasumi's cleavage.

She woke with a start and threw him at Ichigo. "...pervert. Attacking me while I'm sleeping."

"I didn't-!" Kensei began to protest, still half-sprawled over Ichigo.

"I don't believe you for a second." She hissed. Kensei paled.

"BUT I DIDN'T!" The silver-haired Vizard yelled. Ichigo sat up and he blinked before he got a good view of Kasumi and he fell back over with blood dripping from his nose.

"PUT SOME FUCKING CLOTHES ON, KANDA-SENSEI!" The ginger roared.

"But Ichi-tan," Kasumi cooed, smirking devilishly. "Surely you've seen a woman's breasts before?"

"Shut up!" Ichigo yelled, flushing bright red. Kasumi only laughed at his obvious embarrassment.

It didn't take Kasumi long to pass out again as Ichigo and Hiyori continued training. Mashiro watched her quietly.

"Kasu-chan must be making up sleep..." She murmured quietly. "Poor Kasu-chan."

* * *

Heuco Mundo was silent as Aizen rewatched Ulquiorra's memory from the day he and Yammy had attacked Karakura Town. The brunette man had fast forwarded it to where the Ryoka girl had shown up, standing to protect her dark-skinned friend, who was laying in a growing pool of blood.

"What an interesting ability, girl." Aizen smirked as he focused on the healing ability she possessed.

The replaying memory wound forward and Aizen watched as Kisuke Urahra, Yoruichi Shihoin and their blue haired companion showed up. His copper eyes narrowed in thought, gazing at the blue haired woman as she turned her face partially.

His eyes widened momentarily before he zoomed in and enhanced the video.

"So, you are still alive, Kasumi Kanda."

* * *

**October Twenty-Ninth**

**Vizard HQ**

**Karakura Town**

Kasumi sneezed, hoisting the blanket around her body higher and hugging her body. The blunette was covered in at least five blankets, but she was shivering like a leaf and was flushed.

Damp blue strands of hair hung in and around her face while the rest was pulled into a messy bun on the back of her head. A bucket sat beside the nest of blankets and pillows Kasumi slept on and the window above her head was open a fraction.

She gagged, grabbing the bucket before puking her guts out. When she was done, she rinsed her mouth out with some of the water in the bottle beside her bed, spat it into the bucket and collapsed with a pathetic moan.

She buried herself into the covers and whimpered, curling into a tight ball with a pillow strangled in her arms.

"Kasumi?"

She peered from under her covers with one dull indigo eye before it vanished. Kensei had poked his head into the room. Footsteps echoed in the concrete room as he moved closer, and there was a rustle of fabric as the silver-haired man knelt beside her bed.

"How you doing?" He asked. Kasumi groaned in response, and he pulled the covers away from her face. He placed a hand on her forehead gently, shaking his head. "Your fever went up again. Of all the Vizards...You have the worst luck, Kasumi."

She grumbled something incoherently and smacked his arm as he reached for the bottle and the bucket.

"I'll be back."

However, by the time Kensei was back, Kasumi was fast asleep and her fever had gone down some.

"Stupid. How'd you get sick?" Kensei snorted, brushing her hair away from her face and placing a cool cloth on the bluenette's forehead.

Kasumi's remained a flushed pink, but she let out a soft smile, one which the Vizard didn't see often any more.

He gave the woman a fond smile before he left, grumbling about lazy ass Vizards downstairs.

* * *

"It's Ulquiorra. I'm coming in."

The enormous white double doors swung open, revealing the white skinned, green-eyed Espada and the taller, stockier, baldy of an Espada to Aizen Sosuke, who was standing before a mummy-impersonating thing in a barrier.

"...Ah, you made it. Ulquiorra, Yammy, we were just finishing up."

"What is the status of the Hougyoku's awakening?" Ulquiorra asked as he descended the stairs.

"Fifty percent." Aizen replied. "It's right on schedule. As far as Soul Society is concerned, anyway. Of course, those who haven't held it in the palm of their hands wouldn't understand, and perhaps even Kisuke Urahara, who developed the Hougyoku and immediately sealed it without releasing it once from it's prison, is probably unaware of the fact that when someone of higher than taicho-class reitsu temporarily unites the unsealed sleeping Hougyoku, for a brief instant, it displays a power equal to that of the Hougyoku in it's awakened state."

A rupture of power from the Hougyoku flared through the room and the barrier shattered as the mummy's wrappings fluttered away.

"Would you tell us your name, new comrade?" Aizen asked the blond, violet-eyed, naked boy in the middle of the floor.

"Wonderweiss...Wonderweiss Margera."

"Do you remember the directive I spoke to you about last month, Ulquiorra?" Aizen asked as he looked down at the new Arrancar.

"Yes, sir."

"Put it into motion. I shall leave the details to your discretion." Aizen glanced over his shoulder at the Espada. "You may take whomever you like."

"Understood." Ulquiorra nodded.

"Ah, yes." Aizen glanced up at one of the masked men sitting in the room. "Would you go along too, _Grimmjow_?"

* * *

Kasumi yawned as she stretched, swinging her legs over her heaped pillows. She felt better than the day before, and thanked her inner Hollow for instant regeneration, which helped significantly when a Vizard was sick.

It was nearing midday now, and she pulled on a pair of cargo pants and a tight grey tank top, before pulling braiding her hair and tying it off with an elastic. She tucked her arms behind her head as she strapped her zanpakuto to the small of her back and headed towards the kitchen.

No one was there when she entered, so she helped herself to the icecream in the freezer and some of the pudding in the fridge, writing a note as she ate.

Kasumi pulled on her combat boots before leaving the warehouse. She had a feeling today was going to be a nice day, but made sure to steer clear of where she could sense the Shinigami and the Urahara Shop.

There was a nice park near the edge of the town, and it was normally empty because of it's strange location, boxed between several buildings.

It was a nice park though, with several autumn coloured trees and damp grass.

Kasumi had the entire park to herself, and she lowered herself under a particularly large tree before crossing her legs and falling into a meditative state.

Her eyes flew open however, when she felt the opening of a Garganta, a portal to Heuco Mundo, open near the Shinigami.

The woman flew to her feet, and made to move when she was interrupted by the appearance of a slim, male Arrancar with scruffy black hair, a short braided ponytail, golden eyes and a rather youthful, feminine face.

The mask perched on his head resembled that of a Saber-tooth cat.

"Well, well," He drawled. "What have we here?"

Kasumi's eyes narrowed and she whipped out her tanto, falling into a defensive posture.

"Ah~! You practice martial arts too! Wonderful!" The raven-haired male smirked. "You're coming with me, Machigai-chan."

"What did you call me, shrimp!?" The blunette snarled, fire bursting in her indigo eyes.

"I called you Machigai-chan, Machigai-chan." He shrugged, before his molten eyes narrowed. "And do not call me shrimp. My name is Ggio Vega, Twenty-sixth Arrancar and Fraccion of His Majesty, Barragan-"

"I don't care who you are, midget." She hissed, lunging forward to swipe her tanto at his face. "I'm not going with you."

Ggio leapt out of the way of her tanto, back-springing easily before he smirked and kicked forward with his foot. Kasumi had to lean back in order to avoid the kick to her face.

She turned, however, when Ggio appeared by her free hand, wrapping a white ribbon around her wrist. He darted around her body, and she managed to punch at his face and land a good hit -his cheek was swollen- before he secured her arms by her sides and kicked away her tanto.

"Bastard shrimp. Lemme out of here!" Kasumi howled, struggling against the thick ribbon as Ggio made a rather complicated knot. "That's not even a knot!"

"It is too!" He snapped. "It's a '_Ggio Super-Ultra Knot'_! You wouldn't know it."

The blunette sneered. "'Course not. It's stupid, and it's not a real knot. I could tie a better knot than that if you let me out."

"Alright fine." He stepped forward but then glared. "I see what you're trying to do, and it's not going to work!"

"It nearly did." Kasumi muttered.

The last thing she saw was a fist flying towards her head before she succumbed to darkness.

* * *

"It's Ulquiorra. I'm coming in." Ulquiorra murmured from beside Ggio, who held a bound Kasumi over his shoulder with ease. The grand double doors swung open and the two males strode in, Ggio slightly behind the Espada.

"Welcome back, Ulquiorra, Ggio." Aizen leaned forward, threading his fingers together and placing his chin on his fingers.

"The mission was a success, Aizen-sama." Ulquiorra stared up at the brunette, face blank as usual. "That girl has been given the bracelet and given twelve hours until my return trip to the World of the Living to bring her here."

"Ggio?"

"I'm carrying her, ain't I?" Ggio snorted, tossing the blunette towards Aizen. She tumbled along the ground, rolling and now loose hair splayed around her head and body. "I tied her up and knocked her out. What do you want her for any way?"

Aizen merely lifted a brow, and let out some of his reitsu. Ggio flinched, buckling. He bowed his head, and then his body followed seconds after.

"I apologize for my disrespect, Aizen-sama. Shall I return to Barragan-dono now?"

"You are dismissed." Aizen stood as the Arrancar vanished out the door. "Ulquiorra, the Hougyoku."

"Yes, Aizen-sama."


End file.
